Texas Football to Face Missouri in Texas Bowl

posted by SportsTalk790 -

Dec 3, 2017

AUSTIN, Texas - The University of Texas Football program has accepted an invitation to represent the Big 12 Conference in the 2017 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Kickoff against Missouri will be at 8:00 p.m. CT on SportsTalk790.

"We're really excited to be headed to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl and facing an old Big 12 opponent in Missouri," head coachTom Hermansaid. "I know the bowl staff there runs a first class operation, and the city of Houston will be excited to have the Longhorns in town. For our team, it will be an added bonus that so many of their friends and family will have a chance to see them play, and I'm sure our fans will help fill NRG Stadium. We're hard at work in Austin now getting ready for the game, and look forward to getting to Houston for bowl week in a couple of weeks."

Texas and Missouri have played 23 times, with the Longhorns owning a 17-6 all-time record. The two schools last met in 2011. The Longhorns and Tigers, once Big 12 Conference foes, have met just once previously in a bowl game - a 40-27 Longhorn victory in the 1946 Cotton Bowl. UT has won 15 of the last 17 meetings against Missouri, dating back to 1931.

The Longhorns feature one of the nation's top defensive units, as they are tied for the national lead in non-offensive touchdowns (seven), defensive touchdowns (six) and interceptions returned for a touchdown (five). Texas leads the Big 12 in third- and fourth-down defense, defensive touchdowns and first downs defense, while ranking second in interceptions, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, sacks, total defense and turnovers gained.

Despite facing seven teams ranked in the Top 36 for scoring offense, including the third- and fourth-ranked teams, Texas has allowed just 21.7 points per game and ranks 31st in that category. That marks significant improvement from a season ago, when Texas ranked 90th in scoring defense.

Overall, defensively, the Longhorns are ranked 42nd, allowing just 363.6 yards per game despite having played five teams ranked in the Top 17 in total offense.